Second March Blog

Reading! I cannot remember how I started reading. Probably my dad taught me. School might have claimed that privilege and I suppose they may have had something to do with it, but I tend to think that it might have been dad more than anyone else. What I do know is that he was instrumental in providing me with good literature to start off my reading ‘career’.

Books at various ages of my early life, that my skills could cope with. Books like ‘Little Women’, ‘Treasure Island’, ‘The Water Babies’ to name but three. My memory has forgotten others, though in fact, I still own those volumes.

I must have read many other books at school and I recieved at least two books as School Prizes. One, I recall, was called ‘Storm of Dancerwood’, about a dog. The other was quite a tome and was, I think, entitled, ‘Our Island History ‘. A book about England. Lots of information, including the kings and queens, the beginnings and ends of their rule, and meaningful happenings during those ruling times. It would be interesting to look at again but, difficult to get at.

In my teens, I became enthralled with Sci/Fi. Trawled the local Library for new sci/fi books. Quite often borrowed Golanzs compilation books. Yellow jackets, easily tound. Read many a short by now famous sci/fi writers, series that I have not recently come across. Maybe they are out of print, possibly I should take a look but my reading ensemble now is so vatied and time is so short……….well, you get the picture. Stories like those called “Cities in Flight” and “The Slow Glasd” series. No, I cannot remember either of the author’s names, sorry.

Since nearly 30 years ago, my reading tastes have spread to encompass more genres that, once upon a time, I dismissed as ‘not for me’. Creative Writing Classes opened my eyes to the wealth of Literature that I was missing. I still have not read one 90th per cent of what I feel I should have read. Nor have I the time to catch up on most of that reading list because now, I am finding many more writers who write books I am much more interested in, at this time. Such is life. Soon, the warmer weather will entice me out into the garden, and even more precious time will be erased from the reading slot.

However, this seems to be the way of time at my age: never enough of it. So, I shall plough on, reading when I can to (a) enjoy more books and (b) to explore new realms and (c) perhaps learn a thing or two ( like one book I am reading about what life was like during Chaucer’s life, the cities, the food, the smells and so on).

I know I have already posted these poems, but they were oringinally meant to be part of this blog.

Road to Nowhere/ to Anywhere Left Behind.

Travelling the road,
Black tar-mac,
Trundling the highway
To nowhere. Reaching
For the lever,
Changjng up gears.
Wheels rolling,
Eating the miles.
Where you come from,
Is it still there?
Road to nowhere,
Where does it begin?
Trucks, cars, anything inbetween,
Burning up rubber,
Squealing brakes
Bring you to standstill.
Nothing moves,
You wait and you wait.
Fingers drum the wheel,
Radio sings to you.
Empty crisp packet
Crackles beside you.
Moving again,
Lorry overturned!
No one hurt, thank God
For that. Could easily be me!
Truck stop beckons,
Need some refreshment.
Back on the black,
Here you go again,
Onwards to nowhere,
Travelling day to day.
Drive in, unload,
Drive out, on you go.
Neverending tarmac,
Black and grey,
Taking the day.
Cars, tractors, lorries
And all manner,
Villages, towns,
Cities, harbour.
Dockside delivery,
Tomorrow, ferry.
Always travelling,
Road user, extraordinaire.

Thank you so much Daisydown. And I would not kńow where to send it. I have a snow poem in a US magazine, and hopefully an article in another mag. Endof April. I found a place to hopefully send a poem regarding waiting in hospirls etc. so I am going to try for that at some point. I am glad it showed what I ment when I wrote the poem.
Bless.
Evelyn